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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 12 December 2001
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Gibraltar
Mr. Dennis Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials next plan to meet the Chief Minister of Gibraltar. [21600]
Peter Hain: Whenever this is mutually convenient.
Ministers are always ready to meet the Chief Minister. I had hoped that he would meet me while he was in London last month. The Secretary of State hopes to visit Gibraltar early in 2002. The Governor of Gibraltar meets the Chief Minister on a regular basis.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what alternatives to the Brussels Process are under consideration to ensure participation in talks on the future status of Gibraltar by the Government of Gibraltar. [21653]
Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in Westminster Hall on 7 November 2001, Official Report, columns 88–92WH. The Government believe that talks under the Brussels Process represent the best way to ensure a more secure, stable and prosperous future for the people of Gibraltar.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the US Government on the future status of Gibraltar. [21655]
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his proposals to consult the people of Gibraltar consequent on the completion of negotiations between Spain and the United Kingdom in relation to the terms whereby the consultative process shall be concluded by a referendum. [20537]
Peter Hain [holding answer 4 December 2001]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Spanish Foreign Minister announced following their meeting held in Barcelona on 20 November, the British and Spanish Governments aim to reach by the summer of next year an agreement covering all outstanding issues between them over Gibraltar, including those of co-operation and sovereignty. A copy of the press communiqué has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Should a comprehensive agreement affecting sovereignty emerge from these Brussels Process discussions, HMG are committed to asserting the wishes of the people of Gibraltar, as stated in the 1969 Order in Council establishing the Gibraltar Constitution. Since the result of such a referendum could trigger the introduction of a primary legislation in
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the UK, HMG will expect to oversee the organisation and timing of any such referendum, in consultation with the Government of Gibraltar.
Georgia
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of Georgia concerning Russian aerial bombardment of Georgian territory in November. [22166]
Peter Hain: On 28 November the Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister briefed the British and other EU ambassadors about reported aerial bombardment in Georgia on 27 and 28 November. The Georgian embassy in London has also contacted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on this matter.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what inquiries his Department has made into allegations by the Government of Georgia that Russian aircraft bombarded the Pankisi Gorge. [22167]
Peter Hain: We raised the matter with the Russian Government in Moscow on 4 and 7 December, and with the Georgian Government on 6 December. The Russian and Georgian Presidents have agreed to establish a joint commission to investigate the incident.
Chechnya
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on Russian military action against Chechens located on the territory of other sovereign states of the former Soviet Union. [22168]
Peter Hain: We recognise that groups of Chechen fighters located in other states in the former Soviet Union pose a threat to regional security. But Russia must respect the territorial integrity of other sovereign states and not take unilateral military action. We have told the Russians that to do so would be unacceptable and would not solve Russia's security problems or promote regional stability.
Afghanistan
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on the post-conflict construction of strategic oil pipelines across Afghanistan. [22171]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government support multiple pipelines to create more secure, diverse energy markets, but decisions on individual pipelines are a matter for commercial judgment.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of creating a stable, inclusive Government in Afghanistan; and what the British contribution to this effort will be. [21881]
Mr. Bradshaw: We have played an important role in encouraging the interested parties to agree at the Bonn Conference on 5 December, to a power-sharing government. We believe that this is the first step towards a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had a number of conversations
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with key figures to this end, the British Office in Kabul has engaged directly with United Front leaders, and a senior diplomat, Robert Cooper, attended the Bonn Conference. The Royal Air Force facilitated the travel of some of the delegates from Kabul.
Council of Ministers
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long in advance he receives agendas for meetings of the EU Council of Ministers. [21963]
Peter Hain: In accordance with the Council's rules of procedure, provisional agendas are drawn up by the presidency and sent to other members of the Council and the Commission at least 14 days before the beginning of each meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Public Service Agreements
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in 2001 towards meeting the Public Service Agreement target of contributing to the Government's target to reduce Civil Service sickness absence rates. [22587]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to reducing sickness absence by 20 per cent. (to an average of 6.5 days) by 2001. This figure was set against the 1998 baseline figure of an average of eight days. We now have a new reporting system in place, which allows us to monitor sickness absence in detail, and effectively manage individual cases. Figures for 2001 have not yet been collated, but early indications are that we are on course to meet the 2001 target.
Departmental Staff (Absence)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many days were lost due to sickness absence in the Department in each of the last four years. [21265]
Mr. Bradshaw: The following is the information:
| Year | Days |
|---|---|
| 1997 | (1)8.9 |
| 1998 | (1)8.0 |
| 1999 | (2)n/a |
| 2000 | 6.1 |
(1) Figures for 1997 to 1998 have been uplifted to account for different recording practices in different parts of the Department and its overseas Posts. These figures are based on the average number of days, including weekends, whereas later figures are based on the average number of working days only.
(2) Figures for 1999 could be provided only at disproportionate cost: the method of recording changed part way through 1999.
We now have a new reporting system in place, which allows us to monitor sickness in detail and effectively manage individual cases. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to reducing sickness absence by 20 per cent. (to an average of 6.5 days) by 2001 and by 30 per cent. (5.6 days) by 2003. These figures were set against the 1998 baseline figure of eight days. Early indications are that we are on course to meet these targets.
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WALES
EU Structural Funds
9. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the First Secretary about the role of EU structural funding in the National Assembly's economic development plan. [20045]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I meet the First Secretary regularly to discuss economic development in Wales, among other issues.
Training
10. Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with other Government Departments and the First Secretary of the National Assembly on measures to improve access to training in Wales. [20046]
26. Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with other Government Departments and the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales about measures to improve access to training in Wales. [20063]
Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with ministerial and Assembly colleagues to discuss a range of issues.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced new measures in the Budget to improve access to training and enable employees to attain basic and level 2 skills.
In addition, the National Assembly is committed to supporting and developing access to learning in Wales.
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